I saw a report aired by Inside Edition regarding the lavish lifestyles of “rock star” television preachers when it aired on television yesterday and have been waiting for them to post it on their website so that I could pass it along to all of you.

One thing I found interesting is that Kenneth Copeland claimed he was cooperative with Senator Grassley’s senate investigation – which is a lie.

Also notice that Copeland becomes irritable and rude when asked about his private jets. Inside Edition even rented a helicopter to show an arial view of Copeland’s estate.

Copeland asserts that his lifestyle follows Scripture. However, he never gives an Scripture to back it up. I can think of one Scripture right off the top of my head that Copeland may not like:

ECCLESIASTES 5:10

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this [is] also vanity.

And let’s not forget:

MATTHEW 6:19 – 21:

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Where is Copeland’s treasure? On earth? If on earth, then all we can conclude is that his heart is focused on earthly things and not on the things of God.

27 Responses to Rock Star Television Preachers

What a reveaing video documentary. However, if all those followers are silly enough to give all their money to these charletons, then they deserve to be broke! The scriptures are simple in what they say regarding these types of false prophets as Crystal pointed out. However this is what Our Lord and Saviour Jesus said regarding these “superstar” preachers:

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” Matthew 6:5 KJV

“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:20-26 KJV

Wasn’t taking pride in his opulence and prosperity what got Nebuchadnezzar in trouble?
I was glad to hear that someone is reporting on the lifestyles of the televangelists. I’m not impressed that the Government is looking into their activities-it isn’t the job of the Government to regulate preachers, even horribly crooked ones. Nothing will come of it, except that the Congressmen will get their pictures in the paper and the televangelists will wrap themselves in the First Amendment. Congress may not be able to touch them, but God is watching.

Here are a few more Scriptures to add to the ones above:
James 2: 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?
Titus 3:3
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.
2 Peter 1:4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 John 2:17
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
1 Timothy 6: ….who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

What is it about these verses that WOF culters don’t get? No…instead to suit their own desires…they select a few “pro money” verses, build doctrines, delude themselves and plunge on, past all sensitivity and past all sensibility.

The Kingdom of heaven that Christ taught about, and that is unseen and eternal, is left behind in a cloud of dust. Some, like this perfect WOF specimen who serves himself lavishly, are agressive enough to find themselves near the top of the pyramid…living in luxury, with a mansion, a fleet of airplanes and enough toys to keep busy and excited for years to come. No end to the passions and pleasures…Of course he’s excited and animated about his message. Ka ching Ka ching…the money machine depends on it.

What do these people do with all the verses I quoted above? I know the answer to that because I was once a WOFer myself. Might still be there if the cash flow had not failed me. Thank God it did!

Benny Hinn who spends 10,000 a night in lavish presidential suites than uses mind control on his followers sensationalizing the gospel, making himself appear holy, and weak minded believers following him around waiting for some sensationalism to touch them. Many of these people misuse God given gifts for themselves and surely use God given money for themselves. They actually believe they deserve it and teach Jesus was rich. False doctrine abounds but follow those who show the fruits of the spirit. Copeland claims he is open but you and I cannot get an acount of his finances nor can uncle sam. IRS need to take action.

These mendacious, money-hungry exploiters make me both angry and sad. Angry at their lies, their torture of the scripture to make it say what they want and sad for the poor people they exploit. But there’s going to come a time when worldly wealth won’t matter any more, nor will the size of someone’s bank account impress a holy God who is the righteous Judge.

I only hope that the lof in your own eye is removed for you to see clearly, not that mine is, pointing out the struggles of others is not helpfull…….judge not lest you be judged. the right thing to do is approach those who are caught up in sin. We all live in this world and we all struggle with different things, here in the west we struggle with pride and materialism. Thinking you are above temptation and looking down at others in the church is every bit as sinful as living the way the people you are talking about do.
Crystal can you lead the flock into repentance and building up of the body rather than to flaws and division?

If we are not part of the solution then we to are part of the problem. Don’t be so quick to judge! I am not condoning the behaviour mentioned in this blog, I am just saying we need to listen with grace and wisdom and lead those we can to the truth in love. If you are not in a positon to that than just pray! And when you are done pray some more! The downfall of the body is that we have grace for sinners but not for saints. Peter who denied Christ 3 time will still be there when we get to heaven!

I am working on an article about how televangelists spend donations. Right now I estimate over $400 million spent on private jets, airplane hangers and maintenance costs. Another disturbing trend: Denominations have started purchasing expensive luxury jets too. Last year the Assemblies of God obtained a Hawker 900XP.

Tim 3:16 is what they mean that it is scriptural in, how they live, by what they teach, and in what they believe, i.e. they believe that they are gods themselves so, therefore, whatever they say is scripture. Seriously.

I Just completed a video series by Justine Peters that was 6 hours of showing the errors in the WoF religion. best compilation I have seen in a while on the subject.

@ James, we don’t judge anyone on this blog, the Word of God judges them and the scriptures are pure and Holy. Nobody here has claimed to be “above temptation”. We are commanded by the scriptures that we are to contend earnestly for the faith:

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. ” Jude 3 – 13 KJV

As you can clearly see, it is the scriptures that judge Kenneth Copeland and all the others, not us. Those verses from the Book of Jude prophesied about false preachers and teachers like Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Paula White, Creflo A. Dollar Jr and all the others, describing them perfectly.

Nice turn around on the blog! :) I am definately not trying to judge this blog or any of you on it. Just a word of warning to ensure we all stay acountable. It is very easy to get off on a rant dragging others through the mud.
I do not think the behaviour discussed here is right, I just want to make sure we are discussing the sin and not the sinner.
As per John 10:16 & Eph 4:3, it is our own wrong idea that we need to invent or keep unity in the body. It is our responsibility to uphold and acknowledge the unity that the Spirit brings.
Great discussion in here over all! Enjoy reading others posts and feed back!

This is my brief take on the gospel per the book of Romans. Having been freed from sin, you now are empowered to live righteously. Freedom to live right before God and men. Living right as the ultimate goal of the gospel. Copeland’s error consists in what follows this gospel, what does “living righteously” entail? What is the fruit of righteousness? Is it wealth and material blessing or what they call prosperity?

In Galatians 3:13 Christ redeems us from the curse of the law(Deut 27,28), not that the blessing of the law would come to us but that the “blessing of Abraham” would come to us. What is the blessing of Abraham? Is the blessing of Abraham the equivalent of the blessing of the law? Amongst the prosperity crowd, these two blessings are identical in their thinking. This is one major way that they arrive at the prosperity angle.

The faith message mantra is such, “Redeemed from sin, sickness and poverty” These are certainly the major aspects of the curse of the law and I believe this is a valid statement but how does being redeemed from poverty play out in the New Testament. Jesus says, Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be provided for you. Simply put, this is a provision gospel. God provides for those who pursue His kingdom and His righteousness. This is why we are not to lay up wealth and treasures on earth, we have God as provider. He feeds, He clothes, He knows what we need. This is our redemption from poverty. The prosperity message is a stumbling block. Accumulated wealth becomes the idol in which we trust, contradicting Jesus, thinking we can serve God and mammon. My question would be addressed to all who call themselves christians, How idolatrous are you wnen it comes to accumulated wealth? Most of us have our own prosperity gospel going. Hypocrites.

@ James… You wrote: “I do not think the behaviour discussed here is right, I just want to make sure we are discussing the sin and not the sinner.”

Fair enough: My contribution…All those WoF preachers unfortunately remain in their SINS of Lies, Deception, Greed, Selfishness, Haughtiness etc.
My solution..Don’t pay any attention to them at all. So, no books, no sermons, no donations, no TBN…totally nothing. If they live what they preach than they don’t need to give any marketing driven sermons.

James, these men and women of the WoF are not in the Body of Christ. They are lost, completely without God, unsaved, not redeemed. To consider them “an errant brother in Christ who just needs our prayers” is step number one in the process of opening yourself up to the rest of their deceitful ways. These people preach another gospel and in doing so have brought their accursed state upon themselves Gal. 1:8 & 9 and I Peter 2:1-22. As for this erroneous notion that a believer should not judge the spiritual state of another person look at Luke 12:49-57; John 7:24 (we are commanded to judge); I Cor. 2:15; I Cor. 5:1-13; I Thess. 5:21. That’s the short list.

Matt.7:1 is mistakenly used to support this non-judgmental “you can do what you want because Christ will forgive you” attitude. The word “judge” is properly translated “condemn”. We have no authority to pronounce final and eternal judgment/condemnation on anyone. We are commanded to “judge righteous judgment”, to discern, to know the truth, to be able to spot a real brother in Christ as opposed to the false and self-proclaimed, self-seeking ones who NEVER point anyone to the Savior. We have allowed the real Christ-like love to be redefined as a kum-ba-yah, group-huge, sentimental slush that makes you feel good for a few seconds and in the end sends a person straight to hell.

Hebrews 1:1-2

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.